Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 88 Soul-Soul Fruit - Soul Absorption

The sea in Whispering Bay is no longer the azure blue it once was; now it resembles a pot of boiling, filthy blood soup.

Shipwrecks, torn canvases, floating corpses, and scattered debris covered the vast sea, and the air was filled with a strong, pungent smell of blood, gunpowder, and the salty stench of the sea.

The clamor of battle had subsided, leaving only the cries of the wounded, the crackling of burning wood, and the eerie sound of waves gently lapping against the skin.

Just then, the deathly silence of mourning was broken by the rhythmic and powerful sound of oars. Euron Greyjoy himself led dozens of Ironborn longships into the ravaged battlefield.

Their actions were not intended to finish off the victims, but rather displayed an almost eerie "mercy." The Ironborn warriors stood on the side of the ship, extending oars and grappling hooks to the exhausted and dying people who had fallen into the water—both Redwin's sailors and a few of their fellow Ironborn who had fallen into the water.

"Grab it! Quick!"

"Over here! Pull him up!"

"He's still breathing! Drag him up!"

Shouts rose from the sea, a stark contrast to the frenzied battle cries of the past. They worked tirelessly, rescuing every still-moving life, dragging the soaking wet, shivering, and terrified survivors onto the deck, offering them rough blankets and water. This scene, so stark in the bay that had just witnessed a bloody massacre, seemed particularly jarring, even unsettlingly ironic.

Euron called it humanitarianism—the war was over, and there was no need for senseless killing.

However, beneath this seemingly "humane" rescue operation lay Euron's other motives. He stood at the bow of the ship, his black robe billowing in the sea breeze, his eyes slowly closing. Unseen by anyone, deep within his consciousness, a force originating from another world...

A forbidden power known as the Soul-Soul Fruit is being quietly activated.

As his thoughts spread, an invisible yet incredibly greedy suction force quietly enveloped this vast sea graveyard, centered on him. Fragments of souls that had just passed away and had not yet completely dissipated, death energy filled with fear, pain, resentment, and despair, were being drawn out thread by thread from countless floating and sunken bodies, as if pulled by an invisible vortex, converging into streams of cold energy that only Euron could perceive, continuously surging into his body.

He is absorbing souls.

Each absorbed soul was like a piece of cold fuel, thrown into the dark flame deep within his heart, nourishing his already unfathomable power, and perhaps subtly changing something. This apparent rescue had actually become an incredibly abundant feast for his soul. The gratitude of the living and the mournful cries of the dead together formed the ladder upon which his power ascended.

Soul Points: 3280.

The soul is nourishment. The elemental life forms created by the Soul-Soul Fruit need Euron to infuse them with his soul in order to become stronger and develop intelligence.

Soul points aren't calculated based on the number of people killed, but rather on the strength of the soul. Sometimes a dead person can grant 15 soul points, but other times only 3. The soul is a mysterious thing; it's not that a strong person or a seemingly intelligent person will necessarily receive more soul points. Euron didn't understand, nor was he interested in, the system's logic for determining soul strength.

Euron sighed inwardly: Indeed, only war is the best nourishment for the Soul-Soul Fruit. He was now only concerned about when the next war would break out.

Meanwhile, in Haixing Port on Qingting Island, which had already changed hands, the Iron People warriors showed another side of themselves besides their savagery: their efficient and ruthless ability to occupy and control.

Before the fighting had completely subsided, the Iron Islands had already begun their system takeover of Starfish Town. Squads of elite Ironborn soldiers, like precise scalpels, swiftly pounced on all key positions. Gates and drawbridges: damaged hinges were quickly assessed, and temporary reinforcements were immediately implemented. Entrances and exits were heavily guarded; anyone attempting to enter without permission would be met with relentless attack. The first priority after the occupation was to completely control access to the area.

The Redwyn family banners were completely removed from the city walls and crenellations, replaced by more ferocious golden kraken banners. Ironborn archers and ballista operators swiftly took control of all strategic firing positions, cold arrows and massive crossbows aimed at the city and the bay, asserting absolute control.

The best-eyed soldiers in the watchtowers were sent to high places to monitor the movement of every street in the city, any suspicious sails on the bay, and the distant horizon like hawks, ensuring that nothing could escape their eyes.

Supply depots and granaries were immediately placed under heavy guard. An inventory was immediately launched; this was crucial for maintaining the army, controlling civilians, and even for future negotiations. Any attempt to loot or sabotage was met with immediate execution.

The wine cellar was also under strict guard. Revelry was a reward for victory, but it had to be conducted under strict control to prevent alcoholism from causing unnecessary chaos or unrest.

The treasury and the Lord's vault are of paramount importance. The most trusted and ruthless warriors have been sent to guard them, ensuring that the wealth accumulated by the Redwyn family over many years falls intact into Greyjoy's hands, fueling his future ambitions.

Throughout Starfish Harbor, from sea to land, from the sky (watchtowers) to the underground (warehouses), every key node was rapidly integrated into the Iron Islands' war machine like a finely tuned gear. Efficient violence and ruthless order combined to establish the Iron Islands' absolute dominance over this newly conquered land. Rescue and plunder unfolded simultaneously on this land that had just ravaged the catastrophe.

The Lord's Hall in Starfish Town, which may have once been filled with the sweet aroma of Green Pavilion Island wine and the reserved conversations of the Ocean Lords, is now completely dominated by the ruggedness, savagery, and fervent joy of victory of the Iron Islands.

Upon receiving King Coron's summons, the island lords, having just completed bloody purges, brutal repressions, and greedy plundering, arrived jubilantly from their respective "posts." They strode into the hall, their heavy boots leaving mud and bloodstains on the exquisite carpet.

The hall had already been "cleaned up" by the Ironborn warriors. The Redwin family's gold, silver, and blood were haphazardly piled in a corner, replaced by large barrels of dark beer and various types of spirits brought from the cellar. The air was thick with the smells of alcohol, sweat, and a lingering stench of blood, creating a unique and pungent aura of "victory."

The noise was so loud it almost lifted the roof off!

"Hahaha! That was exhilarating! That was fucking exhilarating!" Earl Dunstan Drummer, "Bonehand" of Old Wake Island, roared as he held up a huge, gold-plated goblet (clearly a trophy) in his best hand, beer foam dripping down his unkempt beard. "I personally cleaved three Green Pavilion knights in their gleaming armor into the sea! Their fancy iron suits were utterly useless!"

"Three is nothing!" roared the Sandweave Clan lord of Black Tide Island, his face red and neck bulging. One of his eyes was swollen, but he didn't care at all. "I led my men to seize a great warship! The deck was full of terrified bastards! I didn't even have to swing my axe much before they were kneeling and begging for mercy! Cowards! All cowards!"

Many were also singing loudly. Several drunken lords, arms around each other, roared ancient and bloody war songs of the Iron Islands in their heavily off-key yet powerfully hoarse voices. The lyrics were filled with praise for the drowning god, a thirst for plunder, and contempt for death. Some people tapped their sword hilts on the table and shields, creating a chaotic yet stirring rhythm to add to the merriment.

Loud laughter rose and fell, filled with unbridled smugness and the arrogance of conquerors.

"Did you see how their fleet ran away? Like a flock of seagulls being chased and bitten by hounds! Hahahaha!"

"The strongest fleet of the Seven Kingdoms? Bah! I can chase after their two big ships with just my longship!"

"Their castle is beautifully built, but the guards are all cowards! I didn't even have to use any force before the gate opened!"

They boasted incessantly, spittle flying from their mouths, their claims revolving around three points: how many people they had killed, and how incredibly brave they were. The numbers were constantly exaggerated, and the battles were described as if they were single-handedly invincible, as if the fall of Qingting Island was entirely their doing. They vehemently denigrated the weakness and cowardice of Qingting Island and the Redwin family, attributing their opponents' defeat to weakness and incompetence, thus highlighting their own strength and satisfying their immense vanity.

The most excited were naturally those discussing how much spoils they would receive after the battle—especially the glittering golden dragon: "My men found their treasury! Good heavens, the gold is dazzling!" "We're going to be rich this time! We can build so many new ships!" "I'm going to cover my entire hall with golden dragons!" Their greedy eyes were undisguised, as if they could already see mountains of wealth.

The entire hall transformed into a noisy, chaotic vortex, brimming with savage energy and the fervor of victory. These lords and nobles of the Iron Islands celebrated their triumph in the most primal way, indulging in the ultimate pleasure brought by violence, alcohol, and greed. They were now the undisputed conquerors of this sea, displaying the unbridled arrogance and recklessness that came with that conquest to the fullest extent.